[Closed] STW guitarists

they have a good reputation - pretty consistent quality wise etc

not the most exciting brand in the world, but I would have no problem owning one

My advice is always the same, go to a guitar shop and play lots of guitars within your budget. Ignore the brands and the guitar will find you!

tyger + 1

so much depends on the sound you want, how the neck suits your hand, how balanced the guitar physically feels to you on the strap - in fact a whole load of variables that you'll only know by a test drive.

Thanks, chatting to a bloke selling one, and he said the name like I should be impressed. I've never heard of them

What Tyger says^^^^^ +1

I've ended up buying a guitar different from what I set out to buy. And it's still easily the best 'playing' one I have.

Thanks, chatting to a bloke selling one, and he said the name like I should be impressed. I've never heard of them

I don't have a lot of positive experiences from music shop dealings. Patronising, sneering and a general sense that you should be buying what the shop recommends as you obviously know nothing, seems to be the norm.

Stay strong and buy the guitar that you want to buy not the guitar that they want to sell you.

What Tyger says +1

I ended up with a Cruiser guitar. Not what I was looking for at all but it felt far better than some expensive ones I tried and sounded really good. The money I saved I later spent on a few nice additions like pick-ups and hardware. As long as it feels good and comfortable, the name really doesn't matter.

Trailmonkey it's second hand. If I went anywhere near a guitar shop I'd never get out alive.

I had a takamine 6 string it was very nice, which model is it and how much is he after for it?

check out harmony central for reviews - some cheaper brands get good reviews - modern manufacturing at a guess, but there's some "avoid like the plague"s and some good brands with crap models, or sounds rubbish in the shop but stick new strings on and it's a gem

Worthwise guitars hold their value, if its solid wood (as opposed to a laminate) it would probly sell on ebay for 60-75% of rrp

I found some guitars have too skinny a neck for my big fingers. Definitely try before you buy to find what suits you

Tim it's an EF300. He wants £500. I think it may be a dreadnaught so it may be a non starter anyway.

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This one, retails for about £650

I had one for a few years, very easy to play, quite narrow neck and sounded good amplified - many bands use as the pick up system is very consistent

By the looks if it is a dreadnought ( why does that rule it out btw?)

I found one new online at £759 with a case.

It looks nice, has a solid spruce top, worth is very much dependant on how it plays and what its condition is.

You can pick up some bargains on ebay if you take your time and £500 gets a lot of guitar, i was really lucky and got a guy to end an auction early, for a mahogany martin for £500, i could probably sell for a lot more....

Make sure you go pick it up though, i had an ibanez 12string delivered today the seller wrapped it in one bit of bubble wrap and sellotape!!!

Its fine but its a miracle.

I have one Takamine and have played quite a few

I find them consistantly nice and I like the 'brand' sound

Usally more rounded than something tinkly like taylor in my experience

What tyger said. The right guitar is out there waiting for you and it will find you. My BC Rich bass and I enjoyed a fantastic time together when I played in a band. I still keep it close to hand.

Tim, Bobba thanks guys. He's a mate of a mate and knows I'm looking for a better guitar than the Yahama I've got you know how it is right? Its hard to say no. Tim, I'm only 5'3, dreadnoughts are mostly too big

Old man has hinted some of my 21st money may be available for Xmas for this. I think i'll try it tomorrow see what it's like. I just wanted some opinions and there are some knowledgable guys on here

Plumber I like a 'bright' sound. Could you give more idea of what they're like?

Kristin Hersh playing a similar Takamine, she's quite wee, about 5'3", this should give you an idea of size

Emsz

Depends what youve heard or played

I have found the Takemine 'sound' to be much more 'plumby' and full bodied than say Yamaha

I personally find the likes of Taylor and L'arrive too zingy for my ears

and Martins way too dull and 'bashy'

I'm talking about brand 'sound' as different constructions which will give a different sound within the brand

Hope that makes sense

If I were buying a steel string acoustic around £500 for myself I'd certainly be looking at a Takemine but as mentioned above if you have time and inclination then you should try others too

Plumb

Boba you're lush *kisses*

That sounds quite nice, hmmmmmm might not be a waste of time after all

I played an ef300 a few weeks back, it's a bargain for 500 quid, however if you're used to a parlour(ish) size Yamaha. it isn't particularly bright sounding unless you strum quite hard to drive the huge soundboard and box and and pick quite hard for finger picking and clawhammer stuff. and it is big, but fret access right up the neck is pretty good for what it is.

If you play mostly chords and rhythms it's great, for picking lines runs, not quite so great but still a bloody good guitar for the money. Depends on how you like to play really.

Hope that helps 🙂

Plumb I think Martin's sound a bit flat as well (was a cheap one though). I've not heard of l'arrive. I quite like the idea of zingy though.

Schroedingerscat (can I call you cat from now on? LOL) I pick mostly ( dull angsty, think Smoke Faries) I've even been know to use a slide

Zingy = Taylor (and new strings) in my head

IMHO of course

Boba you're lush *kisses*

Kristin Hersh is one of my favourite artists, and I hate to say it, but i tend to gravitate towards what my favourite arists play

Every guitar is different, the best advice I got was go to a shop wit a budget in mind, play a few, whatever is comfortable to play and gives you the sound you want is the guitar for you, don't just go with the most popular choice.

I like something that sounds a little more, what's the word, zingy.....last time i played a takamine it had that quality I was looking for, Martin's for me are like Taylors, they're famous names because they're banded around by famous players.....thing is, they generally get them for free

Edit: i never read half those posts, but we all used the word zingy.....weird

yeah you can call me cat:), If you mostly pick, I'd certainly suggest you have a good play with it, I liked it and I don't have a particularly heavy right hand technique, but it might be worth looking at something with a smaller soundbox thats easier to drive as well.

The ef does have a quite big radius on the neck, so it would probably be pretty good for slide as well, the built in ct4b pre amp is really good and loads of preset settings are available online. 🙂

I wish I'd never sold my Irish Lowden to buy a bike.... 😥

I've never been able a to sell a guitar apart from a Rickenbacker 4001 fretless which I've no idea why I bought as I don't even play bass, that's why I've got about fifteen cluttering the place up. Thank god I'm single 🙂

idave my first teacher used a Lowden. He wouldn't have ever parted with his! I can't believe you sold yours.

Cat, Boba I'm looking forward to this more than I was earlier 😀 might Still drag dad to town for a 'browse' in Hobgoblin as well though

I wish I'd never sold my Irish Lowden to buy a bike

Done the same with a Fender Telecaster 12 years ago for a new zaskar frame and some goodies.....only thing i really regret

I was a mere student, it had been dented in the Lowden factory so I got it cheap, it sounded like nothing else - 20 years on, still gutted. I'll own one again one day and can vaguely remember where the guy lives who bought it. Who knows.....

I've said exactly that about the telecaster, even to the point where I have one picked out

in fact this one
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Id not discount martins before you play a decent one, i thought it was jst the name til i played one...

Also bear in mind the wood has a massive effect on the tone, spruce top = bright, mahogany = resonant, lots of sustain.

I like nick drake type pickng so a parlour size 00015ce martin was spot on for me ( im 5,5 parlour = thin body)

Ive not played anything that comes anywhere near it but it was well worn in when i got it.

Frank Black is fond of them, I used to have one but didnt get on with the thin neck, I use an old Framus which is probably the nicest and biggest bargain I have ever bought.

If your interested in slide I have an Osark resonator that I could be persuaded to part with?

I wish I'd never sold my Irish Lowden to buy a bike

i wish id never sold a vintage dobro for £5 30 years ago

MMMMMM. telecasters.....I've got a few of them, whoops :

Never been into Fenders much. They just have an air of cheapness (even though they're not always) about them that I don't like. Was a Les Paul man til I got my SG, now the LPs feel clunky and heavy.

"Never been into Fenders much. They just have an air of cheapness"

Yeah I used to think that as well, even pricey Strats definitely still do, and I won't touch them but I've got Les Pauls,a 335 a 355 and a firebird as well..... but I still love the way my Teles(69'Thinline and 09' US custom shop) play and sound. and I probably play them more than my "better" guitars.:)

Well
It was nice, light action on the neck, sound was good ( you're right Cat they do need a hard strum to get the best of the sound) but it was a bit big, I could get used to it. It wasn't as unwieldy as I thought it would be, just didn't feel right especially for that much money

Sounded a lot like a Epiphone semi I play occasionally

Slight hijack.
My 14 year old has a Jackson KVX10? think that's right.
Anyway he wants to upgrade the pickups with his hard earned. Not knowing anything I don't know if its a good idea.

that's why I've got about fifteen cluttering the place up. [s]Thank god[/s] That’s why I'm single

Tidied that up for you!

That seems quite a particularly advanced upgrade for a 14 year old to want. My lad, also 14 and guitarist, generally just wants something else such as a drum kit. Not a bad thing though, if he's that much into it.

you could be right there nickf:)

Emsz..I'd say if it didnt feel right, then it isn't. The one I played, much as it was obviously a great guitar, it just didn't really come together for me....

Can't recommend Simon & Patrick enough. I bought a Woodland Cedar a few months ago and I just love it. So easy to play and sounds beautiful.

Ive got a Takamine EG 541SC, I do like it but find it a very bright sounding guitar, and the neck is very narrow, Kind of wish I had gone for a full dreadnaught and wider neck for my 1st guitar.

Its like this one, and am considering trading it in for something else. And that's not my fence before you start!!

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Cat, if you played C&W or American folk, it would be perfect. Just wasn't quite the right shape or size. Gives me an excuse to try some more 😀

Oldgit I'm sorry I don't know enough about leccy technical stuff to give you an answer. Someone on here will though I'm sure.

I just bought my first "real" guitar this week. It's a Morgan (no not the Canadian ones, it's Norwegian! and I can't find out much about them but it sounds good to me) I like it and it was cheap for a hand made guitar

My first experience of going into a music shop on my own to look at guitars scared me off rather a lot. I thought bike shops could be bad, but this was dreadful.

I am just learning to play and realised that I wanted/needed a steel stringed guitar and not some cheap old nylon stinged classical guitar that someone gave me. I was just completely intimidated and ended up leaving with a set of strings for the guitar I was hoping to replace 😳

The problem now is that I don't think I'll be allowed to consider getting anything else until I am at concert standard 🙂

Never been into Fenders much. They just have an air of cheapness

moving along - i've had a strange urge to try a mandolin. the epiphone mm-30 is around £100 and i probably woundn't want to go more than £150 with the amount of musical talent i have - any thoughts, experiences from the hive mind?

Not knowing anything I don't know if its a good idea.

Good pickups are a worthwhile upgrade to a good guitar (if it sounds good unplugged then some decent pickups will complement the acoustic tone) BUT I think that a decent amp/speaker is more important and will affect the overall sound more than a set of pickups. Speakers are probably the most important thing as they're what your sound is actually coming out of. Go for something with Celestion G12H30s or V30s, can't go wrong 🙂 Of course amps are well expensive compared to pickups.

Bigbutslimmerbloke Oh yes go on. Mandolins sound amazing!

Did someone mention telecasters? I'll give you telecaster!:

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Bigbutslimmerbloke

I had a mandolin for a while and got a bit bored after mastering losing my religion and a couple of irish pickng tunes i got bored Tbh

Tom

I think that the pickups/electrics are at least as important as the amp tbh

I got this for £150

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Its a £120 peavey with fender electrics bridge and seymour duncan coiltapped pickups

I use it with a vox valve amp i got fir £50

It sounds much better, and has more range than a fender tele i looked at for £650...

resurecting a thread 'cos I can't find a new guitar one.

Anyone use all fourths tuning (EADGCF) there's some octave stuff I want to try

any other interesting tunings?

I'm using Admiral tuning at the mo...it's quite low, so you need at least 12's, really like it though.

http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/tuning/alternate-guitar-tuning-chart/

quite partial, though i couldn't see it in your list, to

CGDGBE

(used for never going back again fleetwood mac) similar to Admiral and quite low though usually played with a capo so not a problem.

Takamine were very popular about 10-15 years back.....less so nowadays as I see it. I'm not really an 'acoustic' player as such-but I'm a fan of Martins myself. Takamine's always seem a little 'cold' when I've heard them.

Oldgit: its a toughie imo. I've not played that guitar, but Jackson's are well made and the ones that I've played all play very nicely. At that sort of pricepoint its just starting to become worthwhile upgrading the pickups if he really likes the guitar in general. It is gonna cost over £100 to do a worthwhile upgrade though. Is he just into playing metal? Does he study the instrument properly and want to progress in the future? If so, I'd just leave as is and get a different style guitar-he will almost certainly be needing one if he wants to look at other styles/sit down with the guitar!

EDIT: Just seen that this is 10 months old 😳